When the weather heats up in the summertime, I am reminded of the month that I spent in a bungalow just outside the Monkey Forest in Ubud and the overarching lesson that I learned there: The jungle ALWAYS wins.

I didn’t see much of Chiang Dao before my bag and I were whisked into a waiting songthaew bound for a 10-minute ride up a winding hill to Malee’s Nature Lovers Bungalows. There was nobody in sight, so I stooped to pet a tail-wagging dog and waited, still recovering from the efficiency that had …

Telling people that you are headed to a yoga retreat solicits a lot of confused looks and bewildered reactions. My colleagues said, “Jen, you do know there is yoga in Chicago, right?” My Grandfather questioned, “You are traveling to do yoga?” (audible sigh) “Oh well.”